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Dr. Henderson’s house has been under threat of demolition for years. With expansion plans for the property cancelled by Catalyst Paper Corporation, the Townsite Heritage Society of Powell River boldly moved forward to purchase the property from the mill in May 2008.

With support from the community, including mill management, the dream of restoring and protecting Henderson House for future generations is moving forward.

The house is one of the most historically significant buildings in the Historic Powell River Townsite, declared a National Historic District by Parks Canada in 1995. Besides being the first house built in the company-owned town in 1911, it was home to Dr. Andrew Henderson, who served as the town’s first doctor. He became a pivotal figure in the history-making era of the early twentieth century in this remote, rugged British Columbia coastal industrial town.

The early Arts and Crafts bungalow has a bellcast roof line; second floor balcony; front verandah with unique paired pillar detail; diamond-shaped muntins on dormer windows and original brick chimneys. The exterior cladding is finely sawn local cedar shingles, and the three additions made to the building between 1911 and 1928 faithfully incorporated design elements contained in the original structure.